The Dowling Museum and Ann Rudd Art Center are located in Ozark, Albama.

The Dale County Council of Arts and Humanities
(DCCAH) was organized in the 1960's by people at the library and librarians with
a few artists organizing early activities. Under Mayor Tom Goff, a house on Broad
Street was acquired as the location for the arts council and extensive renovation
was achieved on the Sollie house on Broad Street. The first Claybank antique show
was held there and also several fiddlers' conventions were held on the front porch.
In the late 1980's the city sold the building as the arts council couldn't afford to
operate it.
The arts council went into dormancy until 1999. In November of that year
Jim Rudd bought the long unoccupied Dowling Building on the Courthouse Square with a
donation through the Wiregrass Foundation. The building was a gift to the city to
be used by the reorganized arts council as a gallery and museum. The building was
named for the previous owners and his wife, a painter, as the Dowling Museum Ann
Rudd Arts Center. The entire project was a millennium venture. Restoration had
proceeded to a functional stage by March of 2000 and the first exhibit by a wide range
of artists from Dale County was organized by a social club, The Arts Guild. Since then
more than 50 exhibits have been mounted. The upstairs houses artist studios.

Be sure to drop by and see our exhibit of Retro Clothing that was left in the building
when it closed in the late 70s. The building was a wonderful department store for men,
women and children. They had also carried shoes, hats and material.

The DCCAH is a non-profit organization is run solely on donations and membership dues.
The museum is open to the public and free of charge. Our hours of operation are Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Our
phone number is provided above if you would like to call and confirm the museum is open.